Monthly Archives: November 2011

Public sector workers have sent a very loud message to the Northern Ireland Assembly and the Conservative/Liberal Democrat government.

Three million workers belonging to twenty eight unions have walked out in defence of their pensions and the public services which all depend upon.In Northern Ireland it is probable that 80,000 workers have come out in a powerful demonstration of the power of the working class. The strike is a hugely important step forward in the campaign to defend our pensions and services.

“Class warfare is going on and my class isn’t just winning. I mean we’re killing them”

Budget Day looms for the Fine Gael/Labour Government. On Tuesday, December 6, it will be clear for all to see how this government lives up to the claims of its leaders upon taking office in March, that it was the product of a ‘democratic revolution’ and represented a fundamental break with the cynical establishment politics of the past.

The Eurozone is at a tipping point. EU leaders are in disarray and have no clear strategy for resolving the crisis. Fragmentation of the Eurozone could trigger another deep financial crisis and global economic downturn. socialistparty.net analyses the crisis.

Thousands of activists fought running battles with security forces for control of Tahrir Square, Cario, last weekend, and at the start of this week. At least 33 people were killed and over 1,750 injured. There have also been big protest demonstrations in Alexandria, Suez, Mansoura and other cities. Street fighting continued last night in central Cairo, turning parts of the city into “a war zone”. Today, Monday 21 November, clashes are reported as armed state forces try to clear Cairo’s Tahrir Square of protesters.

As recently as a year ago when I and others on the Left wrote and spoke about ‘the dictatorship of the financial markets’ many people thought we were exaggerating. However after the events of the past few weeks, can there be any doubt but that we are witnessing a full frontal assault on democratic rights by European bondholders, bankers and speculators facilitated by the leadership of the European Union?

Socialist Party MEP, Paul Murphy, is currently visiting Gaza as part of a delegation of parliamentarians, to see the conditions first hand. Paul will be keeping a diary of the events and reflections, and you can read them on his blog. Here we post his report from the first day there.

Here we post a statement from Socialist Alternative, our American sister group, where they respond to the recent state repression of the #Occupy movement, and discuss how the mass movement can be defended and extended.

Following an initiative by the five ULA TDs in August, a succession of meetings took place between representatives from the more fighting sections of the trade union movement and community sector about putting in a joint effort for a pre budget demonstration. This will take place on Saturday 26 November beginning at 12pm at the Garden of Remembrance, Parnell Street, Dublin.